This last Tuesday Governor Pat Quinn vetoed raising the maximum speed limit on Illinois tollways. As of now, the speed limit for these tollways is at 65 mph.

Quinn’s reasoning for the veto? He stated, â€œThe convenience of increased speeds for drivers on Illinois tollways does not outweigh the safety risks to children, families and our dedicated public servants.â€ He continued, â€œRecent evidence shows that drivers already travel at excessive speeds on Illinois toll highways.â€

His argument against the raised speed limit included a study done last year regarding Interstate 94 in Lake County. The study showed that 71 percent of the drivers on the tollway exceeded the posted speed limit by 15 mph or more. Another tollway study revealed that 91 percent to 98 percent of drivers on 7 different tollways spots went over the speed limit from anywhere between 11 mph to 15 mph on average during off-peak hours.

Rural Interstate Law Passed Last Year

It was only last year when Quinn had signed into law a separate Oberweis bill that raised the speed limit to 70 mph for rural interstates. He spoke about his reason for the increase last year stating, â€œThis limited 5 miles-per-hour increase will bring Illinois’ rural interstate speed limits in line with our neighbors’ and the majority of states across America, while preventing an increase in excessive speeding.â€

The passing of the rural interstate speed limit law was objected by Illinois Department of Transportation, state police and leading roadway safety organizations. Their opposition was primarily focused on the safety of drivers, especially between cars and semi trucks.

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Illinois is the 50th state in the U.S. to allow concealed weapons, and many believe that the new legislation has resulted in a decrease in crime rates. Concealed carry permits were numbered at 83,183 applications as of July 29th, and it’s believed that the number will reach to 100,000 Illinois citizens by the end of this year. Since last year, robberies that have led to arrests in Chicago has declined by 20 percent. Reports of burglary theft is down by 20 percent, and vehicle theft is down by 26 percent. In the first quarter of 2014, the homicide rate was at a 56-year low. With more citizens packing, it appears that there is a correlation between these statistics.

Richard Pearson, executive director of the Illinois State Rifle Association states, â€œIt isn’t any coincidence crime rates started to go down when concealed carry was permitted. Just the idea that the criminals don’t know who’s armed and who isn’t has a deterrence effect.â€ He continued, â€œThe police department hasn’t changed a single tactic â€” they haven’t announced a shift in policy or of course â€” and yet you have these incredible numbers.â€

Police Force or Legalization of Concealed Weapons?

While Pearson believes that it’s the legalization of concealed weapons, the Chicago Police Department credits the efforts of the police force for the lowered rates. Garry F. McCarthy, Police Superintendent, noted that the department has confiscated more than 1,300 illegal guns between January and March of this year. He believes that â€œintelligent policing strategiesâ€ and improved training has helped immensely.

No matter the reason, crime rates have decreased. Despite the worries of those who advocate for gun control, the legalization of concealed weapons has, at the very least, not created more crime. President of Crime Prevention Research Center based in Swarthmore Pennsylvania says, â€œThere’s a lot of academic research that’s been done on this, and if you look at the peer-reviewed studies, the bottom line is a large majority find a benefit of concealed carry on crime rates â€” and, at worst, there’s no cost.â€ He continues, â€œYou can deter criminals with longer prison sentences and penalties, but arming people with the right to defend themselves with a gun is also a deterrence.â€

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If you or a loved one have been accused of a crime you did not commit, contact the Law Offices of J. Samuel Worley, LLC at your earliest convenience. J. Samuel Worley is a confident Chicago criminal defense attorney who works thoughtfully, relentlessly, and intelligently to get you the results you deserve. Call now: 312-600-8655.

This last Sunday, Governor Pat Quinn signed a new law that prohibits smoking on state-supported campuses. This law bans students from not only smoking indoors, but also any outdoor spaces on campus. This law goes into effect July 1st, 2015.

Governor Quinn also signed a law that will restrict the display of e-cigarettes — both laws are part of his agenda to improve the overall health of all of Illinois residents. The Smoke Free Campus Act has been sponsored and supported by many, including State Senator Terry Link (D-Waukegan) and State Representative Ann Williams (D-Chicago). The American Lung Association has been working with state legislators to see these laws through. Upper Midwest CEO Lew Bartfield of the American Lung Association is excited for the success, and stated:

â€œ…the new law will provide a healthy learning environment that promotes health and wellness for students, faculty, staff and visitors at all public colleges and universities in Illinois. The law not only minimizes toxic secondhand smoke exposure but also improves the campus environment by reducing smoking related litter. We applaud the Illinois State Legislature and Governor Pat Quinn for passing and signing the Illinois Smoke Free Campus Act.”

Privately owned vehicles driving through the campus are exempt from this law. Likewise, the law won’t incriminate those who are parked on campus in a non-state-owned vehicle.

Smoke-Free Campuses

Currently the colleges in Illinois that are smoke-free are:

Aurora University

Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing

City Colleges of Chicago (7 colleges)

College of DuPage

Danville Area Community College

Greenville College, Hannibal LaGrange University

McHenry County College

Olivet Nazarene University

Rush University

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois at Chicago

Waubonsee Community College

Wheaton College.

Other campuses that will be mandated to become smoke-free are:

Chicago State University

Eastern Illinois University

Governors State University

Western Illinois University

Northern Illinois University

Northeastern Illinois University, and

Any community college subject to the Public Community College Act.

Southern Illinois University and Illinois State University have already taken steps to a making their campuses smoke-free. â€œA college education can put people ahead in life, but smoking can do just the opposite,â€ Senator Link stated. â€œThis new law will clear the air on campuses statewide and help produce healthier graduates.â€

Chicago Drug Defense Lawyer

As Illinois takes steps to making a safer, healthier state, this law may seem a tad restrictive to some. Studies suggest that cigarette smoking can increase a person’s risk of using harder, illegal drugs.

If you have been convicted of a drug related crime and are unsure of your options, please do not hesitate to contactThe Law Offices J. Samuel Worley for a free consultation. Sam Worley is an experienced Chicago Drug Defense Lawyer, and provides those in need with his experience, infinite resources, and the knowledge that will help them gain the confidence they need to protect their rights. Call today: 312-953-LAW1

In our last couple of posts, we have been covering the crime rates of Chicago, as a lot of anger and confusion has derived from their accuracy. While officials have stood behind their numbers, it seems that the public isn’t interested in them. What are they interested in? Feeling safe within their communities. As of recently, Mayor Rahm Emanuel has announced that the city of Chicago will be getting assistance from the state government.

Forty Illinois Police troopers will work with the understaffed, overworked Chicago Police department to try to help make certain communities safer. It’s no surprise to anyone who lives in the city; crime is concentrated in certain pockets of the South and West sides. Many young people have been murdered in these areas (once a day, on average), leaving the communities feeling abandoned, desensitized, and rightfully angry.

Prejudices lead to Negative Attitudes within Law Enforcement

Territorial and cultural prejudices have made law enforcement agencies view each other as rivals, as opposed to allies. Whether it’s for public stature, for budget money, or even for bragging rights, the agencies haven’t really been willing to work with one another in the past. City, state, and federal units are known to not want to cooperate, so when Emanuel â€œaskedâ€ Gov. Pat Quinn (who oversees state troopers) for help — it was considered a bold request.

This unique approach has many people wondering it will be enough of an effort. Fifty CeaseFire interventionists will be added as well, a total of 100 who will use tactics to defuse conflict. It will be interesting to see if this infusion will work, whether the partnership will be worth the effort, and even change how law enforcement views one another. Nonetheless, it is a game changer.

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If you or a loved one have been wrongfully accused of a crime you did not commit, please do not hesitate to call The Law Office of J. Samuel Worley, LLC. Chicago Criminal Defense Lawyer, Sam Worley, has been practicing criminal defense for almost a decade, and wants to protect your rights. Call now: 312-953-LAW1

Last week, on Friday August 1st, officials held a public hearing to discuss the latest statistics on Chicago crime. As we wrote in our last blog post, many are questioning the accuracy of these statistics. Crime rates are the lowest they have been for over two decades, but all we every see on the news is a report about another bloody shooting. Chicago police superintendent Garry McCarthy, surrounded by staff, faced city alderman last week and defended reports. Who’s really to blame? McCarthy believes the news organizations.

News Organizations to blame?

McCarthy criticized News organizations for the time they devote to the killings and other crime, believing that this festishism results in the perception that Chicago is the â€œcrime capital of the country.â€ He stands behind his remarks, believing that Chicago shouldn’t hold that title, and that the crime rates are accurate.

â€œThrough the first seven months of this year, murders are down 55 percent from 20 years ago and tdown 40 percent from 10 years ago, and down seven percent from last year’s record-setting lows,â€ stated McCarthy. While he is happy with the decrease in rates, some are still not buying it.

Many of the alderman left the hearing feeling as if all of the real, hard hitting questions asked of McCarthy were side-stepped. The alderman feel that the issue is not the statistics, but rather the perception.

Perception vs. Fact

â€œMy son was in Ghana and some kids were getting an opportunity to come here for a program and when they heard that they were going to come to Chicago, they started crying,” stated Ald. Walter Burnett, 27th Ward.

Whether crime rates have decreased or not, it is true that the Chicago population feels unsafe; especially in certain areas where crime is concentrated. Burnett continues, â€œIf you have a minority young man in your family, you are always on pins and needles every time they walk out of the house because you do not know what is going to happen you are always worried.â€

More man power seems to be the request of many of the alderman. “Shootings and murders are not isolated here on the South and West side. We need more manpower,” said Ald. Bob Fioretti, 2nd Ward.

McCarthy is invested in the statistics, and states that they accuracy of these numbers is what helps the department understand where resources are needed, and what needs to be done to fight crime.

“We will not rest until every person in the city of Chicago and every community feels the effect of what those statistics are talking about,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Call a Chicago Criminal Defense Lawyer for Legal Assistance

If you or a loved one are in need of legal advice, please do not hesitate to contact The Law Office of J. Samuel Worley, LCC. Our Chicago criminal defense attorneys pride ourselves in helping those in need. We offer free, confidential consultations. Call us today: 312-953-LAW1

In our last blog post we discussed how Chicago has statistically seen a decrease in violent crimes and homicides. But these statistics have left many wondering how accurate the numbers are. Weeks after multiple requests, Chicago Officials have agreed to hold a Public Hearing this morning (August 8th, 2014) to help clear up some of the communities concerns.

One of the requests was from the Chicago Progressive Caucus, who made a call for a public hearing back in early June. Seven members, including Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd), asked the Public Safety Committee chair, James Balcer (21st), to hold the meeting to address issues they suspect with the statistics. Specifically, the Chicago Progressive Caucus suspects that the Chicago Police Department is actually miscategorizing crimes in an attempt to diminish crime rates.

Decrease in Statistics are Exaggerated

Police Supt. Garry McCarthy states that overall homicide ratings have dropped (the lowest it’s been in decades), despite constant reports about shootings in the city. Fioretti feels like this statement and the decrease in statistics are overwhelming exaggerated. According to a Chicago Tribune Article, the Inspector General found that Chicago police did not report nearly a quarter of the aggravated assault and aggravated battery victims in an audit about crime statistics in 2012. Counting incidents instead of the victims involved (as is procedure) lead to a great deal of underreporting. This same process has been used by the department in city shootings — incident rather than victims.

â€œSafety is the No. 1 concernâ€

â€œWe want to find what the public view is of crime classification, and reporting practices of the Chicago Police Department, because there’s a lot of issues dealing with the integrity of what the public is being told,â€ Fioretti sent at his first request. After that he has sent a second request, stressing that a hearing would happen whether the mayor and police department supported it or not.

â€œPeople need to know that what has been counted and what hasn’t, and what the real crime data is,” said Fioretti, who also wants more police resources including 500 new officers. â€œI hear it everywhere I go: Safety is the No. 1 concern.”

The meeting is being held at 10 am this morning at the City Hall in Chicago City Council’s chambers.

Call a Chicago Criminal Defense Lawyer Today!

If you or a loved one have been convicted of a crime you did not commit, please contact The Law Office of J. Samuel Worley, LLC. to speak with a Chicago criminal defense attorney. We wholeheartedly stand by the phrase, â€œinnocent until proven guilty,â€ and will work hard to fight for your rights. Call a for a free, confidential consultation today: 312-953-LAW1